The Daily Five: Driver's Edification and School Ends on a High Note

1. Today will get off to a cloudy start, although the clouds should lessen as the day goes on. There's a 20 percent chance of rain, according to Weather.com, and the high temperature should peak at about 53 degrees. This evening will be partly cloudy with a low temperature of 38 degrees. 

2. There's likely to be a lot of traffic on the roads today and a lot of people out celebrating this evening before they head over the hills and through the woods to grandmother's house for Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow. Please be careful on the roads and if you're planning to drink, don't drive. State Police will be out in force with roving patrols and sobriety check points throughout the long weekend. 

3. Most of the funding to cover the cost of stepped up DUI patrols comes from grants from the Department of Transportation (DOT). Last night, East Lyme voted to approve a special appropriation of $59,950 from the Department of Transportation 2013 Comprehensive DUI Enforcement Program to cover the cost of police overtime during the holidays.

Not all of the money comes from the state, however. The additional patrols cost the town of East Lyme $19,983 but East Lyme First Selectman Paul Formica said the town recoups about 50 to 60 percent of that money in ticket revenue. 

4. Lyme-Old Lyme High School Spanish teacher Jeanne Manfredi was nominated as Connecticut Association of Schools' Educator of the Year and though she didn't quite make it to the statewide number one spot, as one of the top nominees she was honored with a Local Hero Award from Ronald McDonald and the Connecticut Association of Schools. Congratulations!  

5. Two Lyme-Old Lyme High School students were also recognized at Monday's Board of Education meeting as recipients of the Connecticut Association of Superintendents' awards. Lily Hartmann and Elliot Mueller may not be very old yet but their list of achievements is impressively long.

In addition to their scholastic accomplishments, both are student leaders and tireless community volunteers. Hartmann is also a talented oboe player and Mueller excels athletically in a variety of sports, from crew to soccer. I'm exhausted just thinking about how much they cram into their daily life! Congratulations again, to both of you!